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August 14, 2015

BUDGET FRIENDLY INTERIOR DECORATING WITH KIAH

Hey Dolls, I'm super excited to announce that I will be adding home decor and DIYs into the mix on my blog! Interior decorating has always been a passion of mine, however I didn't go to school for it, nor have I had any professional experience (i.e. worked in that field) - so, I'm in no way an "expert"! I just feel like my ability to "put things together" is a natural gift that the Lord has blessed me with. I also don't believe in "do's and don'ts" for decorating "YOUR" space. Your home should be a reflection of you. Having said that, I've combined my love for bold color, print mixing, textures, DIYs, and unique accents into my space...making it totally "ME". I'm not a "matchy-matchy" type of girl and am sure that my taste may be a bit "too much" for some, and that's totally OK.

We've spent the past few years in an 800 sq. ft. apartment on campus while my husband attended seminary (I shared it here). I thank God for that living experience, but am super excited to be in a larger space. We're saving to buy a home so this apartment is what I like to call our "not forever home".Since this is not our "forever" home we decided it was best for me to do "budget friendly" decorating. Budget friendly decorating means that rather than splurging at Horchow - we saved at Ikea. I felt that it would be a total waste of money to splurge on expensive furnishings for a temporary space (that money went into our "new home" savings). For instance, the sofa that fits this space could very well not fit in our new home, curtains are expensive and are unique to window size, a dining table in an apartment is usually too small for a house. I chose to have fun with decorating this temporary space where in our forever home I would be more concerned with quality and probably opt for neutral colors.

I found this cute little side table at Ross.s/n: you can save on floral arrangements by making them yourself.I went to a craft store and purchased floral stems and vases, cut the stems to fit, and voila. Pink flowers pop in any room - peonies and roses are my faves.

Star burst/Sunburst mirrors and brushstroke art are all the rage in gallery wall decor but both are expensive. I found these mirrors at Big Lots for around $30 each and my daughter made the brushstroke art with acrylic paint and canvas that we picked up at a craft store. This is an easy and dope DIY!Talk about one of a kind masterpieces!

This shelf was another DIY. I purchased the Ikea Vittsjo shelf and found a way on Pinterest to transform it into an elegant gold bookshelf to place all of my cute things (deer bookends, gold letter "T", and white pineapple are all from Hobby Lobby. The green mermaid bud vase is from eBay).

This coffee table is not a budget friendly piece (It's from Crate and Barrel) but is one of those pieces that can go with me to my "forever home". Coffee table books are a great touch (I love fashion, art, and home design ones). Add a small floral arrangement and place cute trinkets in a tray for added flare. This is the "Darcy" sofa by Ashley Furniture via Nebraska Furniture Mart.Pillows are from Ikea and the faux fur throw is from Marshalls.

My favorite place in this apartment is the kitchen. It has a nice flow, lots of counter space and cabinets, and I love the glass back splash. I like to litter my counters with pops of color using fruit, flowers, and fun ceramic pieces.Both the bar cart and bar stools are from Target.Tea towels are from Marshalls and Paper Source.

I'm obsessed with pineapples (they are a symbol of hospitality). I scored this large gold pineapple from Joss and Main. It was originally $75 but I caught it on sale for $45 and snatched it up. Accent pieces like these are expensive but can also go with me to my "forever home" - so they are good investments.

My apartment came with the option (there was a fee for each wall) to paint the walls. I chose the color "Amalfi" by Sherwin Williams. The color is just beautiful in person! Both rugs and the white tulip table are from Ikea. I searched high and low for "ghost chairs" to pair with my tulip table but man oh man do they come with a hefty price tag (especially the original Phillippe Starck for Kartell ones)!!!!!! Crazy happenstance: I was looking for office furniture for my husband and stumbled upon these ghost chairs from BizChair.

Who woulda thunk that an office supply website would carry ghost chairs? Someone asked about the weight capacity - the description states 400lbs - but keep in mind that these chairs have arms which could be an issue for my sistas with larger hips. I will be transparent (pun intended) and say that they fit me - but are a bit snug. My husband and daughter say they are fine. While they are not superb quality, they fit the bill for the look I wanted and are pretty sturdy. btw - I just looked and they have gone down in price so you better run and grab them. There is also an armless option.

Our space is a work in progress. I still need art for the dining area, fruit for my bowl on the table, more coffee table books, and a couple of accent chairs. Hope you enjoyed the first post of my new home decor installment!

You have a natural talent and trust me I am taking notes. I'm into home deco as well but I've learned that I have to feel spiritually comfortable in a space to make it more homey. I'm definitely taking notes and can't wait to see other projects!